Car thief 'clue' to Omagh bombing

A Dublin-based informer told police in the Irish Republic the day before the Omagh bombing that he had been asked to steal a car for a Real IRA operation, it was claimed yesterday.

The accomplished car thief failed to get the large family saloon requested by the dissident terrorists, but told his police handler on August 14 1998, the day before a 500lb car bomb killed 29 people in Omagh, that they had got their car from another thief.

Security sources think neither thief knew what the car was to be used for.

The informer's handler apparently warned the Irish police special branch that some type of paramilitary operation might be afoot, but it is alleged they did not relay this intelligence to the RUC. The Irish police press office yesterday refused to comment.

The informer, who is not believed to be a Real IRA member, is in protective custody. He is due to in court this week as a character witness for his handler, John White, the only Irish police officer to be tried in connection with a corruption scandal in Co Donegal.

The Northern Ireland police ombudsman's team, authors of a highly critical report on the RUC inquiry of the Omagh bomb, have no power to investigate allegations concerning police in the Irish Republic.

The red Vauxhall Cavalier used in the Omagh explosion was stolen in Carrickmacross, in Co Monaghan, in the Irish Republic, early on August 13, 1998.

Security sources said the informer had previously several stolen cars to order for the Real IRA, which he had then given to police who fitted them with tracking devices before they were passed to terrorists, foiling a number of serious attacks.

In Belfast today, relatives of those killed in the atrocity will meet members of the new cross-community policing board, which faces its first big test in deciding how best to deal with the row between the ombudsman, Nuala O'Loan, and Northern Ireland chief constable, Sir Ronnie Flanagan.

Michael Gallagher, who lost his son, Adrian, in the bombing, said the Omagh families were deeply unhappy with Sir Ronnie's rebuttal of Mrs O'Loan's report, and called for an overhaul of the murder hunt. They want it headed by a senior officer from an outside force, rather than a senior detective from Merseyside in a purely advisory role, which is what the chief constable has offered.

Mr Gallagher will go to London this week to try to raise another £500,000 for a civil action against five men the families believe were behind the bombing. One of these, Colm Murphy, jailed for 14 years for conspiracy to cause the explosion, is the only man convicted in connection with the atrocity, even though Sir Ronnie has said he knows the 16 prime suspects.